President Biden'srequestfor $20 billion in additional funding for Ukraine has teed up the first major test of the anti-interventionist sentiment coursing through the GOP — with real-world implications for Kyiv's existential war.
Why it matters: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told Punchbowl News in June that a supplemental aid package for Ukraine is "not going anywhere" in the House, signaling that extra funding would have to come through an appropriations process already plagued by GOP infighting.
Some Michigan swing voters aren't very tuned in to former President Trump's legal woes, and they think there's a reasonable chance he will win the election, according to our latest Engagious/Sago focus groups.
Why it matters: "Several swing voters appear to be suffering from 'indictment confusion,'" said Rich Thau, president of Engagious, who moderated the focus groups.
What started nearly two decades ago as a protest of society's dependence on oil has grown into one of Portland's largest cultural events, with nude cyclists taking over city streets en masse.
Why it matters: While the World Naked Bike Ride is quintessentially Portland, we're not the only city that hosts it. Since 2004, cities across the globe have participated as a way to promote cycling as a mode of transportation, as well as body positivity.
Driving the news: Smith's case would take no longer than four to six weeks to lay out, and the Jan. 2 date "would vindicate the public's strong interest in a speedy trial," the special counsel's office wrote in the filing.
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott signed the loyalty pledge vowing to support the party's eventual nominee, making him the fifth candidate to do so and meet the debate qualifications.
Why it matters: The pledge has drawn criticism from some Republican candidates hesitant to back frontrunner former President Trump, who himself said this week that he would not sign the pledge.
President Biden is unveiling a request to Congress for $24 billion in supplemental funding for Ukraine and other international needs.
Why it matters: The request adds another dynamic to an already tenuous effort on Capitol Hill to fund the government and avert a shutdown by the Sept. 30 deadline.
The Federal Election Commission is opening up a public debate over whether and how campaigns should be allowed to use artificial intelligence (AI).
Why it matters: The FEC's hands may be tied when it comes to any final regulation, but this will be one of the first opportunities for the public to register their concerns about the controversial surge of AI in campaign ads.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said Thursday he is "thinking seriously" about dropping his affiliation with the Democratic Party and becoming an independent.
Why it matters: Manchin has made a career out of proclaiming his independence from D.C. Democrats. But his latest comments have added significance, given his public flirtation with a possible third party presidential bid in 2024.
This year's hot, hot summer has been met with consistently cooling inflation. And the moderate price gains seen in recent months may stick around this time.
Why it matters: The July Consumer Price Index is the latest data release that confirms easing price pressures that should bring relief to American consumers burdened by sticky inflation.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) faces an internal rebellion from more than a dozen Texas Republicans over funding to the Department of Homeland Security.
Why it matters: The lawmakers want funding to be conditional on a series of strict border security-related actions that Democrats would never go for, setting the stage for another spending stalemate as the government funding deadline nears.
Why it matters: This month marks the 60th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his speech at the Lincoln Memorial. The Pew Research Center survey comes amid a push by conservatives to limit discussions of race in schools and workplaces.
Driving the news: Special counsel Jack Smith brought additional charges against Trump in a superseding indictment last month, alleging that he sought to delete video footage at Mar-a-Lago in an attempt to obstruct the federal probe.
President Biden on Wednesday proposed an effective ban on U.S. venture capital and private equity investments into Chinese tech companies, via an executive order aimed at bolstering national security.
Why it matters: This is the end of unfettered globalization in venture capital and private equity.
The Consumer Price Index rose 3.2% in the 12 months through July and the measure that excludes energy and food prices rose 4.7%, the Labor Department said Thursday.
Why it matters: Despite an uptick in overall inflation, underlying details point to further signs of cooling last month as the steep price gains that plagued American consumers look to be moderating.
President Biden's campaign — racing Republicans to identify persuadable 2024 voters — is leaning into a recently developed database that includes contact information for 90% of U.S. voters, gleaned from 500 organizations during the past decade.
Why it matters: It's the latest chapter in the information wars between Democrats and Republicans, as both parties scramble for a technological edge in a divided nation where elections often are decided by razor-thin margins.
Fernando Villavicencio, an anti-corruption presidential candidate in Ecuador's upcoming election, was killed after shots were fired at a campaign rally in the capital, Quito, Wednesday, the country's president confirmed.
What they're saying: President Guillermo Lasso said in a statement he's "outraged and shocked" by the country's first-ever assassination on the campaign trail.
Mayor Eric Adams (D) urged the Biden administration on Wednesday to declare a state of emergency over the southern border to help officials respond to large numbers of asylum seekers arriving in New York City.
Thought bubble via Axios' Stef Kight: It's the latest cry for help from Democratic-run cities struggling to care for a surge in newly arrived asylum seekers who initially crossed the U.S.-Mexico border — putting even more political pressure on an administration that's struggled to get control of the border from day 1.
